Device providing fountain for dance performance therein



Dec. 31, 1968 ANGELASTRO ET AL DEVICE PROVIDING FOUNTAIN FOR DANCE PERFORMANCE THEREIN Sheet I of 2 Filed July 27, 1967 Ill/l,

FIG. 3

m IR m 0 T m s/M 5MB W T 1A EEY ME 2% A Lm NMY m B L ATTORNEY DEVICE PROVIDING FOUNTAIN FOR DANCE PERFORMANCE THEREIN Filed July 27, 1967 31, 1968 L. 1.. ANGELASTRO ET AL Sheet 2 Of 2 INVENTORS: E ANGELASTR) LEON I BELTEMPO BY ow: m

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,419,216 DEVICE PROVIDING FOUNTAIN FOR DANCE PERFORMANCE THEREIN Leon Lamorie Angelastro, 1417 Grand Concourse, Bronx,

N.Y. 10452, and Maria Elena Beltempo, 218 Berrimau St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11208 Filed July 27, 1967, Ser. No. 656,407 7 Claims. (Cl. 239-20) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A recirculating fountain having a bowl, means spraying water upward from the bowl, and a dance platform on the bowl containing apertures through some of which water is sprayed upward and through all of which falling water drains back into said bowl.

Background of the invention A great potential for entertainment exists if, on a stage or place of performance, a dancer may perform amidst the beauty of a water fountain. This invention provides a fountain which may be used in any place of entertainment without special preparations.

Summary of the invention A recirculating fountain has a bowl, means jetting Water upward from the bowl, and a dance platform on the bowl containing apertures through which water is sprayed upward and through which falling Water drains back into said bowl. The dance platform should be made of transparent material to enable waterproof lights to be placed in the bowl to provide unique integral lighting'for a performer. The means jetting water upward may have concentric loops of tubing disposed below the dance platform with the loops of tubing containing upward facing water jet apertures disposed below apertures formed in the dance platform for passage of water jets therethrough. Timing means may control water flow in the loops of tubing to provide variable fountain patterns. Many other unique effects and advantages result from the particular construction and arrangement of parts of the fountain of this invention.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a front view of the fountainof this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the fountain with a portion of the dance platform and the transparent splash guard broken away to show the interior of a portion of the bowl;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section through fragments of a loop of water jet tube and the dance platform;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken on line 44 of FIGURE .2 with the splash guard removed; and

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55 of FIGURE 4 showing elements disposed in the reservoir of the fountain bowl.

Description of the preferred embodiment As shown in FIGURE 1, the fountain of this invention has a bowl supported by an attached stand 11. Stand 11 has a base 12 and a horizontal ring 13 fixed a spaced distance above base 12 by legs 14. The lower central reservoir 15 of bowl 10 extends through ring 13.

Referring additionally to FIGURES 2, 4, and 5, bowl 10 has radial brackets 16 secured therein. These brackets 16 support loops of tubing 17-20. The brackets 16 may also support a ring 21 which extends above the tubes 17-20. Legs 22, show in FIGURES 4 and 5, secure a central platform support ring 23 which may be made of ice transparent material. A flat transparent or translucent dance platform 24 rests on the rings 21 and 23 within the bowl 10. Platform 24 contains large jet apertures 25 disposed over the tubes 17-20.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the tubes 17-20 contain upwardly directed jet spray openings 26 below each aperture 25 in platform 24. The apertures 25 should be from to 7 inch in diameter so water draining from platform 24 will not deflect water jets 27. Larger apertures may bother a dancer. Additional drain holes 28 may be formed in the central portion 29 of platform 24. The holes 28 may be as small as 4 inch in diameter.

As may be seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, the central reservoir 15 of bowl 10 contains four electric pumps 30-33 connected by hoses 34 to the tubes 17-20, one pump being connected to one tube unless there are more tubes than pumps in which case one pump may supply water to more than one tube. The pumps 30-33 are connected to the tubes through the valves -53 shown in FIGURE 2. The valves 50-53 are used to adjust the height of the water jets 27 arising from each loop of tubing 17-20.

Five upwardly directed lights 35-39 are fixed in the bottom of reservoir 15. By means of an electrical connection 40, shown in FIGURE 1, a timer 41'through the leads 42 energizes the pumps 30-33 and the lights 35-39. Thus a conventional timer 41 may be set to energize the lights and pumps to provide a pleasing sequence of light and sprayed water in which a performer may dance. The water sprayed upward falls to platform 24 to drain through the apertures 25 and 28 to return to the reservoir 15 and be recirculated.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, a splash guard 45 of transparent material may be placed about the platform 24 to contain the lower and outer fountain jets. Guard 45 has a rear opening 46 to allow the easy entrance of a dancer.

As may be seen in FIGURE 4, a transparent downward sloping annular partition is disposed to extend inward from the upper edge of reservoir 15. As may be seen in FIGURE 1, the diameter of base 12 and bowl 10 is the same. Thus when an act is completed using this invention, the splash guard 45 may be removed and the fountain turned on edge and rolled from the stage. The partition 55 traps the water 56 required to operate the fountain when the fountain is on edge. Recirculating water, when the fountain is in operation, drains downward into reservoir 15 through the large central opening 57 of partition 55.

Many details of construction have not been disclosed herein as they will be apparent to anyone skilled in the required trades. For example, the electric circuitry is extremely simple as the timer 41 only turns on combinations of lights and pumps in a repeating sequence. However all wiring and electrical elements must be watertight to prevent short circuits and electric shocks. The dance platform 24 is best made from clear plastic which is roughened on its top surface so a dancer will not slip. Some water jets 26 in each loop 17-20 in the back of the fountain should be closed to allow entrance of a dancer.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for providing a water fountain for dancing therein comprising, in combination, a bowl, means within said bowl spraying jets of water upward, and a dance platform containing apertures, said dance platform being within said bowl, said means spraying jets of water upward spraying jets of water through said apertures in said dance platform with falling water draining into said bowl at least partially through said apertures.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said apertures in said dance platform through which said means sprays jets of water are at least inch in diameter.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said bowl contain-s upwardly directed lights disposed below said dance platform, said dance platform being at least translucent.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said means spraying jets of water upward comprises electric pumps in said bowl drawing water from said bowl, concentric loops of tubing disposed about the periphery of said bowl, said loops containing upwardly directed jet spray openings, and hoses connecting said pumps to said loops of tubing supplying water thereto under pressure.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said bowl is round and with the addition of a stand supporting said bowl, said stand having a base disposed below said bowl of the same diameter as said bowl.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said bowl has a downwardly extending central reservoir, said pumps being in said reservoir, and with the addition of an annular bafile extending inward from an upper portion of said reservoir, said bafile retaining water in said reservoir if said fountain is placed on its side and rolled on said base and said bowl.

7. The combination according to claim 6 with the addition of a transparent splash guard disposed substantially about the periphery of said dance platform within said bowl.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 675,883 6/1901 Darlington 239-17 EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 239-23 

